


this road led to you

by ladyofdecember



Category: The Venture Bros
Genre: Angst and Feels, M/M, Mutual Pining, Spoilers only through Season 7 Episode 1, season 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 19:36:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15736011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: It's been awhile since Orpheus has heard from his landlord/friend/infatuation. When the call comes, he's not sure how he feels about it.





	this road led to you

**Author's Note:**

> Backbeat, the word is on the street  
> That the fire in your heart is out  
> I'm sure you've heard it all before  
> But you never really had a doubt  
> I don't believe that anybody  
> Feels the way I do about you now  
> \--Wonderwall by Oasis
> 
> Written for a group of friends of mine on one of the VB Discords. There is surpisingly little Orpheus/Rusty going on. I might have to fix that.

Standing beneath the streaming water from the shower head, the gray haired man contemplated his place in the world as he so often did.

The shower was warm but only vaguely as the facilities in the particular motel they were staying in were lackluster to say the least. The exterior was abrasive and aged, failing to lure many travelers with it's appearance alone. The rooms were not any better they had discovered after checking in to stay for an unknown amount of time.

Orpheus shut his eyes under the water, letting his thoughts drift over the past few days and all the changes that had encumbered them.

First, a fire had broken out demolishing his (and Al's) home, forcing them out onto the streets as it were. Then, an abrupt funeral, bringing an already tragic event to it's very knees in comparison. And finally, after circumventing all of that, Mr. Venture and family had been swept off to New York to handle what he had referred to as “business affairs”.

After a day or so of their departure, Orpheus had anticipated a phone call, an electronic mail, something to let them know they were alright and of course, the question turned right around to him, were they settling in?

Of course, in all the commotion, the men had barely spoken two words to each other and in the family's haste to leave, The Triad hadn't the chance to inform them of their planned move to the motel nearby. It seemed perhaps, that Orpheus had miscalculated their relationship entirely. It seemed he placed a much higher amount of reverence for the Venture heir than the man had for him.

And maybe that was just the way it was and how it would always be. He couldn't blame the man really, he was unfamiliar with the very words 'friendship' and 'camaraderie'. Perhaps, at this point he should just give up and let it go. Years of trying to pursue something that appeared to never have really been there and for what?

Cranking off the water, the man moved aside the shower curtain to step out and dry off. The ugly, smoke stained, yellow tinged walls of the tiny bathroom leered out at him as he did so.

Outside the decrepit door, Orpheus could hear the sounds of the TV, no doubt Al was happily imbibing. At least he still had The Triad.

…

Three Months Later

Receiving the phone call early on a Tuesday morning before he'd even been able to make his daily trip to the vending machine, Orpheus had been surprised to hear the way the youngest Venture son sounded so full of fright. Dean had explained they were being terrorized by some unknown demons or ghosts and they desperately need their help. Well... needed his help and of course where he goes, The Triad go as well. They were a team after all.

He'd been delighted to hear from the boy after so long, he'd been well, delighted to hear anything at all from the family and insisted the trio take off immediately to head to VenTech Tower.

As the long car ride progressed however, Orpheus found himself quickly growing more and more morose and less enthused at the idea of seeing Mr. Venture once again. His initial excitement had faded and now he was left with nothing but a dull ache inside his chest.

About halfway to Columbus Circle, where the Venture family was now residing, Orpheus turned to his friends and partners to inform them he intended to go ahead. After all, they'd be stuck in traffic for an unforeseen amount of time and the family desperately needed their services as soon as possible.

Appearing amid the various comings and goings of people in the lobby of VenTech Tower, Orpheus astral projected himself before Hank and Dean and their bodyguard Hatred. He announced himself loudly, eyes searching around the lobby area before coming to rest on the three of them.

He noticed an apparent lack of one particular man but reminded himself it was Dean who had called for help and not his father.

…

Riding up in the elevator to the apparent penthouse, Orpheus couldn't help but comment on their newfound lavish lifestyle. “This is rather elegant.”

Dean standing beside him, slightly hunched with blood-shot eyes just glanced up at him and nodded quickly. “Ye-yeah. It's uh... it's nice I guess.”

Orpheus admired the paneling of the elevator and in an effort to bypass the awkward silence that hung in the air, continued to try to make conversation. Why was this so weird? “So, you have called on our services. What seems to be the problem eluding you?”

“You'll see... “ Dean mumbled as they arrived on level 51 and made their way into the living room area to sit down. “Pop should be here soon.” He said, fiddling with the sleeves of his hoodie, emblazoned with some sort of school logo.

Glancing around the elaborately decorated quarters, the necromancer couldn't help but wonder why the man hadn't reached out to them. They were clearly doing well, money wasn't an issue anymore thanks to his inheritance. The man sat up a little straighter in his chair, he was feeling the sting of isolation and it was cold and icy in his heart.

Just as he was about to inquire about the boy's sweatshirt, Mr. Venture came strolling in the room. Already the brunt of an abrasive greeting, the necromancer decided to approach the man equally as nonchalantly. After all, this was their first time in seeing one another in months but what did he expect really?

After they exchanged words, the man decided to get right down to the point. They were there for a reason. Why not just treat this for what it was? A job.

…

It was decided after much discussion about the happenings of the haunting and the spiritual lifeblood Orpheus had picked up on in the building that it'd be best they wait until after dark to perform the exorcism.

As the sun set in the background, Al and Jefferson were enjoying drinks on the penthouse patio, enamored with the cityscape. Mr. Venture, in an uncharacteristic bit of hospitality had begun making Doctails at the bar nearby and now offered the necromancer one as well.

“Oh, I... don't think that's a good idea. We need to focus on the task at hand.”

Rusty cocked an eyebrow at him, hand poised above a highball glass with a bit of ice in his scoop as he stood behind the bar. “Really? You said yourself that it needs to be dark enough, what are we talkin'? Like nine?”

Nodding along at the rough estimate of time, Orpheus came to rest his hands atop the wooden bartop.

“Come on! Have a drink! After all, you're all salty from me not calling you or whatever-”

“I-uh-what?! I am not!” Orpheus sputtered and tried to protest as the man carried on making drinks for the two of them.

“Sure you're not. Look, I've been busy okay? And so what? Why would I call you or keep in touch with you? You're not my tenant anymore!”

Rusty handed the man an ice cold, blue colored drink as he passed him, heading over to the elaborate white couch to relax, his feet up on the coffee table.

Orpheus suddenly felt very unsure of himself, of being there with that man once again but propelled himself forward to sit next to the superscientist on the couch as well. “So... “ He began carefully, trying to forget the man's harsh dismissal of him moments before. “How are things here in New York?”

“They're alright I guess. Kind of the same as they were before. Still got guys constantly after me, ruining my TV nights.” Rusty sipped at his drink and smirked at the man. “So... you guys are all living in that motel now?”

“Well, yes. Jefferson has a place of course in Chicago but he's been staying with us because of our arch. As you recall, Al was staying with me as he recently lost suitable housing and well, with the fire... “

Orpheus trailed off and began sipping at his drink, wanting to move past the discussion of that day. He wondered distantly why it was that the man before him seemed to act so cold towards him. Sure, it wasn't a new behavior he was displaying, he'd never really fully warmed up to him before but this sort of thing seemed new somehow.

Rusty shifted in his seat, taking down his feet from the table as he downed a bit more of his drink in a surprising and alarming speed. He set the drink down on one of the coasters on the table and turned to the man. “Well, I'm... glad you've landed on your feet.”

Orpheus followed suit and set his drink down on a coaster as well. “Oh yes, well, we're hanging in, as it were.”

A beat of silence filled the room and that weird awkwardness was seeming to creep back upon him it seemed. Orpheus cleared his throat loudly in the silence and let his eyes stray over to the massive floor to ceiling windows that led out to the pool. 

Darkness was falling upon them now and the lighting all around the water and edges of the patio were beaming to life. It was very pretty. Orpheus began to wish he'd followed the gentlemen out there so enjoy the night sky instead of trying to make peace with a man that seemed to want nothing to do with him anymore.

They were alone in the penthouse now, it seemed Dean had plans to meet with a friend to exchange some sort of notes for class and Hank had snuck off at some point as well. They sat in the empty living room quietly until movement on the couch next to him brought his attention back to the present.

“You know, I'm sorry I didn't respond to your requests. I was... well, I was gonna say busy but not really. We haven't had much going on except for the various arches trying to disrupt our day. But even that's been handled, mostly.”

Orpheus noticed how much closer the superscientist had moved towards him and as suddenly as he opened his mouth to take a breath, the man had inched ever closer. He wondered if it were the heaviness of the alcohol in his bloodstream that seemed to make his heartbeat faster or was it the very presence of the man himself? 

Rusty looked up into Orpheus' eyes and for the first time since arriving there, the man saw an unveiled, unguarded and actually emotional note in the other man's eyes. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe something had changed between them. Maybe he was too frightened of admitting it.

Finding his voice, Orpheus reached down to grasp his drink once more, effectively breaking the trance between the two of them in the close space. Then again, maybe it was he who was the one too frightened of it. He rose the glass high and beamed at Mr. Venture. “To reunions of long lost playfellows and their antics!”

Rusty blinked at the abrupt change in action and sat back a bit from him. He looked stricken with something, embarrassment maybe?, but the look passed and he quickly grabbed for his drink as well. “Yes... whatever.” 

They clinked their glasses together and each drank heartily from them, seemingly eager to forget the moments that passed between them.


End file.
